Immune system disorders and deficiencies are legion, encompassing a vast array of disease and illness affecting people all over the world. Maladies resulting from primary and secondary immune deficiencies/disorders include:

From antibiotics and surgery to antioxidants and counseling, treatment choices are almost limitless. The main treatment questions are: How does it work? Has it been clinically studied? Does it tackle the underlying problem, or does it just mask symptoms?

The gastrointestinal system is crucial to immune function. Over 70% of the immune system is dictated by Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissue (GALT) and 80% of the plasma cells responsible for antibody production reside there. This tissue runs from the tonsils through the entire intestinal tract. GALT health equals good health because it’s the foundation and structure of a strong immune system.

“These bacteria affect immune function, and may help explain why stress dysregulates the immune response,” said lead researcher Michael Bailey.

An amazing new product that stimulates healthy GALT and supports robust immunity is Isotonix® Immune. The primary ingredient in Isotonix® Immune is a patented compound called Wellmune WGP®.

Wellmune WGP® is a natural yeast compound derived from the cell wall of a highly purified, proprietary strain of hypoallergenic baker’s yeast. This link has a series of videos illustrating how Wellmune boosts the ability of immune cells to locate and eliminate dangerous fungus, bacteria and viruses in the body. Dozens of clinical, preclinical and peer-reviewed research testifies to the power and safety of this incredible natural substance.

In a provocative study researchers exposed three groups of mice to a lethal dose of Anthrax in their drinking water. One group was given Wellmune WGP® for 2 days prior to the exposure. Another group had Wellmune WGP® for 8 days prior and the last group had no Wellmune WGP® .

All of the mice with no Wellmune died from Anthrax within 10 days. Fifty percent of the mice with 2 days of Wellmune WGP® survived, and those that died lived much longer. All of the mice that had 8 days of Wellmune WGP® lived. The Wellmune WGP® enabled their immune systems to destroy the deadly Anthrax bacteria in their bodies.

The benefits of curcumin just never seem to end. This amazing plant compound (the active ingredient in turmeric) offers a wide array of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits as well as stifling growth of abnormal cells. Curcumin has been shown to be safe when consumed in high amounts (like 12 grams) per day, however benefit is seen in just 100 mgs daily. Curcumin has been shown to improve:

A new curcumin hybrid compound called CBN-001 has demonstrated it could protect and restore brain cells after stroke in laboratory models. In tests, CBN-001 administered up to one hour after stroke effectively reduced motor control movement problems. This hybrid compound protected and nourished neurons (brain cells) while repairing stroke damage on a molecular level.

Researchers in the United States and Korea recently published a study which found curcumin lowered blood glucose levels, cholesterol and triglycerides in diabetic mice after being supplemented with curcumin for just six weeks. No changes were observed in the the healthy non-diabetic mice. The researchers concluded: “These results suggest that curcumin seemed to be a potential glucose-lowering agent and antioxidant in type 2 diabetic db/db mice”.

A 2009 study released by the Department of Internal Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Michigan observed that curcumin enhanced with piperine decreased the number of cancerous cells in breast tissue. Once again no changes or toxicity were observed in normal healthy cells.

“This shows that these compounds are not toxic to normal breast tissue,” researcher, Kakarala says. “Women at high risk of breast cancer right now can choose to take the drugs tamoxifen or raloxifene for prevention, but most women won’t take these drugs because there is too much toxicity. The concept that dietary compounds can help is attractive, and curcumin and piperine appear to have very low toxicity.”

Some products add piperine to boost the absorption of curcumin because curcumin typically has low bioavailability. Bioavailability is the extent to which a substance can be absorbed. How much you consume of a supplement is less important than how much you absorb.

Curcumin Extreme™ is a unique product formula containing a patented form of enhanced bioavailable and 100% natural curcumin called BCM-95® . BCM-95® is six times more readily absorbed than standard curcumin.

In 2009 a group of researchers in Italy conducted a study to see if an isotonic formula of a known highly effective antioxidant behaved differently on the body compared to the same antioxidant in tablet form.

Isotonix OPC-3® is a powdered antioxidant blend that when mixed with the appropriate amount of water becomes “isotonic“. Isotonic means “same concentration” and is an ideal ratio between solid and liquids that our bodies convert what we ingest into before it can pass into the small intestine.

The four hour test compared Isotonix OPC-3® in a tablet form to Isotonix OPC-3® in its standard isotonic form. The amount of water that was consumed with the tablet was equal to the amount of water used in the isotonic version.

Results of the test were startling. Levels of free radicals were measured in the blood plasma of test subjects. The isotonic OPC-3® reduced free radicals six times more in just 10 minutes compared to the tablet version. The tablet form did eventually reduce free radicals substantially as well, but seriously lagged behind the isotonic form thorough out the four hour test .

Researchers concluded that “the findings demonstrate that the flavonoid mixture provided in isotonic OPC-3® is significantly more bio-available in humans, in terms of antioxidant activity than an equivalent mixture in tablet form.” Overall the isotonic OPC-3® formulation resulted in a stronger antioxidative effect than an equivalent tablet form.

Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant compound found in red wine grape skins and seeds. Resveratrol is also found in various amounts in several other types of plants and acts as a protective agent defending the plant from harmful environmental elements.

Several studies show that resveratrol also enhances human immune function and potential longevity. Well, the news on resveratrol continues to pour in with yet another significant benefit provided by this compound being touted in a new study.

A normal function that cells perform is folding proteins. When cells misfold proteins and the immune system doesn’t catch them, the misfolded proteins set the stage for trouble.

Cells that experience stress, respond by producing “heat-shock proteins”. These proteins were called SIRT1. These SIRT1 heat-shock proteins were given that name when it was observed that cells exposed to elevated temperatures generated these special proteins to protect and repair DNA and extend the life of the cell. Cells with SIRT1 activated are stronger, live longer and continue to perform their functions under stress.

Other types of cellular stress like calorie reduction and oxygen-deprivation also triggers SIRT1. Resveratrol has shown a unique ability to stimulate SIRT1 production by as much as 8 fold without the presence of typical cell stress like heat, food reduction or reduced oxygen.

Resveratrol is plant compound found in grapes that has antioxidant abilities which neutralize free radicals and has demonstrated cancer preventative properties. By triggering SIRT1 production, it holds the potential for increasing life span by protecting cells and inhibiting age related disease.

Neurodegenerative diseases like Type II diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s all present significant amounts of misfolded protein cellular damage. When SIRT1 levels fall cells are unable to properly respond to stress and systems of the body start to fail. This also happens during the aging process.

According to research team leader, Richard I. Morimoto, professor of Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences “When SIRT1 levels are high, you are in a high-protection mode”. Resveratrol contributes to high SIRT1 levels.

“We now have a powerful way to think about addressing neurodegenerative diseases,” said Morimoto. “We have identified a pathway that can be manipulated to alter lifespan. Discovering this new basis for therapeutics is very exciting.”

A series of two year studies were conducted between 2000-2007 on daily consumers of diet soda. In January 2009 the results were published in Diabetes Care noting a 67% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in diet soda drinkers. In addition, the diet soda drinkers also demonstrated a 36% increase in a condition known as “metabolic syndrome”.

Metabolic syndrome is when three or more of the following health concerns exist in an individual:

Although diet soda manufactures disagreed that there was a direct correlation, the authors of this study concluded by saying: “Diet soda consumption, either independently or in conjunction with other dietary and lifestyle behaviors, may lead to weight gain, impaired glucose control, and eventual diabetes.”

The future’s so bright for this super nutrient, it really is going to need shades! Formerly, it seemed like we only heard warnings about too much sun exposure. So we heeded recommendations to use sunscreen to protect us from damage to our skin which could make us look older or give us skin cancer.

Now doctors are discovering that the majority of adults and children are not getting enough vitamin D and it is contributing to poor health, so they are recommending supplementing with this vitamin for good reason. Lack of vitamin D has been linked to a wide variety of illness and disease, including:

Osteoporosis

Cancer

High blood pressure

Type 1 diabetes

Tuberculosis

Low back pain

Rheumatoid arthritis

Multiple sclerosis

Birth defects

Parkinson’s disease

Seasonal affective disorder

Periodontal disease

Vitamin D also encourages muscle development. Recent studies done at the University of Manchester have determined that young girls (12-14 years) who were supplemented with vitamin D demonstrated more muscular strength and explosive power.

When selecting a vitamin D supplement bear in mind that D3 is superior to D2 due to it’s bioavailability. The best quality vitamin D supplement that I know of is Isotonix® Vitamin D with K2. Isotonix® D includes a synergistic vitamin known as K2 which, in additional to bone health, promotes vascular integrity. Because this product is an isotonic formula, up to 95% of the nutrients are absorbed and enter into the blood stream just minutes after drinking it.

The term “isotonic” means “same concentration”. This condition occurs when the amount of dissolved particles inside of a semi-permeable membrane equals the amount of dissolved particles on the outside of that membrane. Body fluids like tears, blood plasma, and lymph all have varying degrees of tonicity.

When we eat food or swallow supplements, the stomach uses muscle contractions and secretes extra fluids (or absorbs excess fluids) until the contents reach an optimum ratio between the solids and liquids. At that point the solution is in an isotonic state and is ready to cross semi-permeable membranes in the small intestine. The amount of energy required to achieve this state varies based on the type of food (or supplement), amount of food, quality and quantity of digestive enzymes, and stomach pH. This digestive process usually takes 6-8 hours.

The unique aspect of products made by Isotonix® is that the digestive process is acknowledged and addressed by providing nutritional supplements that the stomach doesn’t have to work on. Isotonix® nutrients are delivered into the stomach ready to be absorbed because they are already in an isotonic state. Therefore the beneficial elements are immediately available and quickly absorbed.

Several studies have shown neuropathy symptoms such as pain, numbness, burning and prickling sensations significantly improved after subjects suffering from diabetes were given antioxidants.

Dr. Feldman, Professor of Neurology at the University of Michigan, noted that excessive sugar in the blood plasma creates free radicals which damage the DNA in nervous system cells. Oxygen transport in the DNA is halted by the build up of free radicals. This resulting DNA damage is a major contributing factor in diabetic neuropathy.

The key to counteracting free radicals is introducing antioxidants.

Remember, free radicals are charged molecules that attack neighboring molecules in order to steal their electrons. Free radicals punch through cell membranes and tear apart DNA structures in these neighboring cells. This, in turn, creates more damaged cells which generate more free radicals and the wave of cellular destruction continues. This process is a form of oxidation or oxidative stress.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona evaluated the affect of Pycnogenol® (a French maritime pine bark extract) on a group of diabetic patients who were also taking blood pressure medication. The group taking Pycnogenol® had a more stable blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, and a decrease in fasting blood sugar levels compared to the placebo group.